Join Our Grassroots Campaign With A $20 Donation!

Julie Lythcott-Haims

Progressive Results for Silicon Valley


**By providing your cell phone number you consent to receive periodic campaign updates from Friends of Julie. Message frequency will vary. Text HELP for help, STOP to end. Message & Data rates may apply.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Thank you for believing in this with me

Friends, family, and people I love,
Recently, the voters of California’s 16th district cast their ballots for their next Representative in Congress. With the retirement of our wonderful congresswoman Anna Eshoo, this highly coveted seat was open for the first time in 32 years, and drew a wide array of candidates. Eleven in total, and with one exception, all guys.

I was that exception. I threw my hat into the ring because America is hurting on so many fronts, in ways that harm our youth most of all, and somewhere deep down in my bones I just knew that I could help. And how could we not have a woman in the race in this terrifying American moment?

In a campaign that only lasted three months, we assembled a truly stellar team, chased money, longed for time, and prayed we’d have enough of each to reach enough voters, voters who care about the issues we care about, voters who were ready for a different kind of leadership. We refused to take even a cent of corporate money, and instead powered our efforts entirely by appealing to the grassroots—people like you. On top of your support, we earned a number of endorsements from some incredible individuals and influential groups.

But in the end, it didn’t go the way we hoped. We were vastly outspent by career politicians who either raised huge sums of corporate-infused money, or are personally wealthy, or both! Their money plus their name ID won the day with primary voters, who as a group, tend not to reflect the diversity of the electorate broadly. So it goes.

What am I going to do? Well, after only three short months on the campaign trail, I know with greater certainty than ever that there is plenty of work to be done not just in America writ large, but right here at home in Northern California. We need to build housing, period. We need to transition to clean energy and prepare to defend ourselves against the climate-related changes that have already come, and those which are still to come. We need to figure out why the mental health of our youth is so poor, and what we’re going to do about it. We need to build a city, a region, a human community where everyone experiences belonging. And even though it feels safer to be a woman or trans or gender nonbinary here in our beloved California, we cannot be complacent. We need to stand up and fight for these rights, because yes, our lives and the lives of others elsewhere depend on it.

I want to offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you to YOU—whether you opened your head and heart to learn more about what I stand for, whether you pushed and prodded me, and made me stronger or held me accountable, whether you opened your home for an event, or reached into your wallet to help us reach folks far beyond you, whether you took a lawn sign or ten, or you worked a farmer’s market or knocked on doors, whether you sent me an encouraging handwritten note, an email, a message on social media or a text, whether you amplified our campaign by telling people in your network why you believed in us, I’m just so damn grateful and frankly honored that you thought I could— and should—do this.

And to just be super real for a moment … Six days ago, when the results came in and we’d placed even below our worst expectations, I felt I’d let YOU down, and my campaign team as well. Also my family. Even my kids! But I was immediately buoyed by your messages of praise for the campaign we ran, and by a feeling shared by so many that our campaign helped folks feel a degree of optimism, hope, and energy that you haven’t felt in quite some time. I felt it too, and I want us all to keep feeling it.

While we probably wouldn’t have chosen to live in this American and global moment where so much is broken, scary, or just wrong, it IS nevertheless our moment, and we’re the ones who are rising up in our own way to fight for what’s right. Even though we didn’t win this Congressional campaign, the better future you and I yearn for is possible. So, ask yourself what YOU’RE going to take on next in order to help make things better, and drop me a line about it if you want to. As for me, it’s clear to me that I love public service and there’s so much good work to do right here in Palo Alto.

Remember: I root for humans. I was in it for all of us. I still am.

XO,

Endorsed By Senator Cory Booker and dozens of other elected officials and community leaders.

"I’ve known Julie for 35 years and I’m confident that she’ll be an outstanding Representative for this district and for all Americans. I’m proud to endorse her campaign for Congress."

—Senator Cory Booker

Endorsements
about-image

Join Team Julie

Julie has been fighting for parents, for students, for working people her entire career. Now she’s asking all of us to help send her to Congress, representing California's 16th District, fight for us in Washington. Donate now to be part of the change we need in Congress.

What She's Fighting For

Julie Lythcott-Haims has dedicated her career to fighting for humans and changing government to deliver real, progressive results for California. As a Black, biracial, queer, bisexual parent of two, as an educator, Stanford dean, lawyer, Palo Alto Councilmember, and author, Julie has led on the issues of reproductive rights, education, affordable housing, universal healthcare and climate change. Julie is running for Congress to represent people – not corporations & special interests. Congress doesn't need another politician. They need to learn how to “adult.” There's simply too much at stake – for our families, for our kids, for our planet.   

about-image

Common Sense Gun Safety

Julie is fed up with the constant mass shootings and gun violence in our country. That's why she supports passing common-sense gun safety laws such as universal background checks, getting illegal guns off our streets, reinstating the assault weapons ban, and ensuring that criminals and people with sever mental illness do not have access to deadly weapons.

Protecting Reproductive Rights

Julie had a scare during one of her pregnancies and she almost had to make a very difficult personal choice. That's why she will always fight to protect access to critical reproductive healthcare services, including cancer screenings, contraception, and abortion. And she will ensure Planned Parenthood has the funds to provide these critical services.

Combatting Climate Change

Our district and this state have seen the ravages of climate change up close. Years of drought, rising sea levels, and catastrophic wildfires have been our “normal” for a generation. I'll deliver meaningful climate legislation to give our kids a healthy future.

Bringing Down The Cost of Living

The families and working people that fuel one of the wealthiest regions in the world can’t afford to live here. I've been an advocate for affordable housing in Palo Alto, I won't stop in Washington.

Endorse Julie

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

**By providing your cell phone number you consent to receive periodic campaign updates from Friends of Julie. Message frequency will vary. Text HELP for help, STOP to end. Message & Data rates may apply.

Paid for by Friends of Julie